cassette tapes |d. dixon| [1]

45

"I should've stayed with him. I should've stayed in the car. But I was too late. I was too weak to finish it."

"I'M GOING AFTER HIM."

Caroline began walking in the direction of where the car went and Michonne grabbed her arm, "You won't be able to get to him in time."

"I don't care." Caroline ripped her arm away, "I have to try."

"What about Daryl?" Michonne asked,

"This is for Daryl."' She answered before taking off down the road.

After many miles, she came across and old mill. There was loud music blasting from somewhere inside, and she knew it had to be Merle.

It was his style.

She was walking by one of the buildings when someone pulled her inside, hand over her mouth, "What are you doin' here, girl?"

"I'm not letting you do this alone." Caroline glared,

"You're gonna get yerself killed." He muttered, "Please tell me you brought a gun."

She rolled her eyes before lifting her shirt to reveal a pistol, "I'm blonde, but I'm not that blonde."

They watched as the Governor's men ran around the building and to the car Merle had abandoned, music blasting from its' radio.

They began shooting at the walkers and Merle pushed on Caroline's shoulder, "Get back."

She stepped back as he raised his rifle to the window and began shooting. Not at the walkers. At the Governor's men.

Caroline winced at the sound of some of them screaming, being eaten alive.

Merle moved over to the other window and continued shooting.

A walker wandered into the building and Caroline took her knife out, stabbing it in the head. Merle looked down at the walker before nodding at her,

He turned back to the window and noticed men coming their way, "Stay hidden."

"Merle-"

"I'm serious, Caroline!"

Caroline paused.

"He's never used my name before. It was always 'girl' or something else demeaning. So he really meant it. He wasn't planning on making it out alive."

Merle made his way to the door and two men pulled him out and began beating him. Caroline stood in the dark crevice, pulling out her gun.

"Leave him to me!" The Governor stepped in, pulling Merle back into the room and she stepped further into her hiding spot.

Merle eventually landed one good punch and stood. The Governor pinned him back against some machinery and bit off Merle's fingers.

Caroline stepped out and raised her pistol, "Do... it." Merle groaned.

The Governor turned and ducked as Caroline pulled the trigger.

She missed. She could've ended it, but she missed.

He grabbed her arm holding the gun and bent it at an awkward angle. Caroline let out a cry of pain before he punched her in the face.

She landed on the ground and took out her knife once again and sliced at his ankle. Merle came in from behind and punched the Governor.

He turned his focus back on Merle. He punched him once more and before he began choking him out.

Caroline reached for her gun that had scattered away from her. The Governor turned and kicked her in the side. She let out a grunt and curled up into a ball as he grabbed her gun.

"Run." Merle muttered to her. She shook her head and he spat out blood, "Run!" He grabbed the Governor and slammed his head into the boiler next to him. Caroline stood, holding her side and ran out of the building.

She ran around the side and into an adjacent building. She went over to the building and raised her bow and grabbed an arrow. Ignoring the pain in her side, she lined up the shot and fired.

Another one of the Governor's men fell with a grunt.

A shot went off from the building she came from and Caroline paused. The Governor stepped out and made his way back to his truck. Caroline aimed her arrow, but tears blurred her vision.

"Merle was dead. And if I had fought harder, I could've ended it all. Finished the Governor. Saved Merle. But I was too weak."

The Governor drove off and Caroline dropped to the ground with a sob. What was she gonna tell Daryl? How was she gonna get back to Daryl?

The car battery died and all was silent. Caroline didn't know how long she was sitting there for. The sun began to fade behind the clouds.

Who knows, maybe the Governor is already at the prison. Maybe she's truly alone now.

A familiar sound filled the air. It sounded like Daryl's cross bow firing.

Caroline stood up and stood beside the building as she waited. A figure crossed her vision.

It was Daryl.

She took a step out but paused when he did. In front of him was a walker, but not just any walker.

It looked up from its' lunch to stared at Daryl.

It was Merle.

Caroline covered her mouth to hold in a sob. She didn't know that the Governor had left him to become one of those things.

Merle's soulless body stood and made his way towards Daryl. Caroline should see the gunshot wound that had pierced his chest.

Daryl pushed him back with a cry. He kept coming and he kept pushing. Daryl pierced his shoulder with a knife, pinning him to the ground and getting on top of the now dead Merle,

He began to repeatedly stab Merle in the head, forever laying his body to rest, "Where is she?!" Daryl yelled, "Where is she?!"

Another walker was making its' way towards Daryl and Caroline was quick to lift her bow and take it down. Daryl turned at the sound of the walker hitting the ground.

He stared at her, bruises littering her face with tears streaming down her cheeks, "I'm sorry." Daryl stood up and ran towards her. She cried as he lifted her up into his arms.

He stroked her hair on the back of her head as they cried.