Papá's Girl

Reunited

©JRF2016

We made our way behind the building where they were holding Glenn and Maggie. We heard one of them talking but didn't pay any mind to that as we gathered under this dirty window. Daryl peeked over through it but couldn't see much. Three men that were dragged Glenn and Maggie out of a room room with bags over their heads. Rick threw one of those smoke bombs causing them all to duck and cover their eyes. We grabbed our people and started running as gunfire rang out through those halls. We ducked into one of the buildings To let Glenn catch his breath, he could barely breath he was beaten so badly. "Hey, where's that woman?" I asked as Rick started looking around as well, "She was right behind us," he looked out the window onto the streets. "Maybe she was spotted," Shane said. ""Should we look for her?" Daryl asked looking between Shane and Rick. "No, we gotta get them outta here. She's on her own."

Glenn looked up at me and my uncle as he finally spoke, "Daryl, this was Merle. It was him, he did this." Daryl looked shocked and glanced over at me, "You saw him?"

"Face to face. He threw a walker at me, he was going to execute us."

"You sayin' my brother's this Governor?" I was shaking my head now.

"No, he's somebody else. Your brother's like his lieutenant or something." Maggie chimed in. "Does he know we're still with you?" Daryl asked as I added, "No way, Papá woulda had a good reason for doin' this. This ain't him."

"If Merle's around I need to see 'im." Daryl said as Rick stepped up to him and Shane to me holding me in his arms. "Not now, we're in hostile territory." Daryl was trying to argue with Rick to let him find Merle and talk to him but Rick interrupted him, "We need to get them outta here. Glenn can barely walk. If we get overrun by walkers or this Governor catches up to us, I need you." Rick pleaded with him, "Are you with me?" Daryl finally said, "Yeah." Rick shot his gaze over to me. I just stared back before finally nodding to him as well. Rick threw another bomb out into the street as he made our way out. The sounds of gunfire exploding the quiet night. We ducked into the shelter of one of the little shops and hid while we reloaded. "Get him ready, we got to gun it to the wall," Rick order me and Maggie.

"You guys go ahead I'm gonna lay down some cover fire," Daryl said. I pleaded, "No we have to stay together."

"Too hairy, I'll be right behind ya." Uncle Daryl kissed me on my forehead as he threw another smoke bomb and fired at the Woodbury residents. We all ran to the bus while Daryl covered us. Shane helped us get Glenn up and over and then slung Maggie and I over the fence. "Rick!" He yelled for Rick to hurry up as a bullet hit him knocking him backward off the bus. He hit the ground in front of me. Maggie started screaming for Rick now as I knelt down beside Shane. He smiled up at me as he tried to sit up. "I'm okay," he laughed, "Just a little scratch. Help me up though." I helped him to his feet as Rick came over the fence yelling back for my uncle.

Across the fence the mysterious woman showed back up finally. Rick pointed his gun at her, "Where the hell were you?" He sneered as he stared into her eyes. She leaned back but didn't say a word. Shane slipped in behind me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, "You okay?" I shuddered a little as I nodded to him holding on to Glenn with Maggie. "Daryl's missing you didn't see him?" The woman shook her head. "If anything happens to him I will ki..." Rick started but the woman interrupted, "I brought you here to save them."

"Thanks for the help," I replied sarcastically from behind Rick. "You'll need help," she said, "To get them back to the prison or to go back in there for Daryl, either way, you need me." We all stared at her in silence for a minute. She was right, we needed her.

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Meanwhile, back inside Woodbury, the Governor had gathered all his people together and was giving one of his glorious speeches. I stood there thinking that that group had to be Rick and my brother coming in for Glenn and Maggie. I kept thinking of someway I could break away and try to catch up to them. Make them see that I only did what I had to do to survive and make them let me back in with my brother and my daughter. This guy was good, damn good. He had everyone in this town believing anything and everything he told them. These sheep would follow him off a cliff. I wasn't listening to anything the pretty boy in front of me was saying until he mentioned that one of the terrorists was one of our own. I heard everyone gasp as I looked around, "Merle!" He yelled and pointed at me, "The man I counted on. The man I trusted." I looked back at Martinez who was smiling at me as the Governor continued. "He led 'em here, he let 'em in." One of the other guys was taking the blade off my new 'hand' while the others stood around me. "It was you, you lied. Betrayed us all!" Martinez shoved me forward and I continued to slowly walk toward the Governor. They brought someone in with a bag over his head as the Governor took him by the arm, "This is one of the terrorists," he said as he yanked off the bag, "Merle's own brother!" I stared into the eyes of my baby brother. My heart was breaking and I could feel my eyes begin to water before remembering where I was. "What should we do with them, huh?" Everyone started chanting 'Kill them!' As I watched my baby brother and he watched me. The Governor walked up to me smiling now, "You wanted your brother, now ya got him." He turned and looked back at the crowd, "FIGHT! To the death!"