𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝗼𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧

𝟐𝟏

Narrative

"What did you do?" Rick looks to his sister, eyebrows raised.

"You got something on your mind Rick, I can see it. So tell me."

"Michonne. The governor wanted her." She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath.

"And what did you do?"

"I asked Merle if he would, take her. But I'm starting to rethink that decision."

"Rick, you need to stop him. What you're having him do is what he did for the governor."

"Yeah, yeah." He nodded, walking off to go find Merle. Rory sighed, running a hand down her face.

She thought about everything that has happened. So much good, but bad within a month.

Lori died. Judith was born. She got captured, then saved. He boyfriend left her, then came back. She found out her rapist had siblings, that he looks just like. The governor attacked the prison, and so much more. It was never ending it seemed.

"Hey." A soft voice came behind her. She turned on her heels to see Deja.

"Hey." She gave her a small smile.

"What're you thinking about?"

"Uh- I. Just everything." She shrugged slightly. "Did- did you know that Isaiah had a brother and sister?"

"Yeah? Why?"

"It's just, after Lori died, and the governor took us, when we got back there was a group here. They came in on the other side, through the gyms. It was Tyreese and Sasha. They had two other people with them but I don't remember their names." Rory fiddled with her thumbs, not looking her friend in the eyes. "I remember seeing their faces. He looks just like them, they were here. He was alive. They lost him though." Tears brimmed at her eyes, with one blink they would fall.

"Rick, I didn't know at the time, but he was seeing Lori. He was going to let them stay, with us. But he hallucinated her and freaked out, making them leave. Sasha, she was eyeing the twins. Said they looked like someone she knew." The tears finally ran down her face.

"I feel bad, because they begged Rick to stay. But at the same time, when they walked out the door I felt so relieved." She shook her head. "Am I a bad person?"

"No, no, no." Deja shook her head instantly. "You are not, you had just gotten back from being kidnapped Ro. Then you have to face that piece of shit brother and sister? You are not a bad person for having feelings, not one bit."

"Hey!" They turned to see Rick panting, wiping sweat off of his head. "Come on, I wanna have a talk with the group." He panted.

"You ok?" He straightened up, looking to Rory.

"I'm fine, just been a little hard lately is all. Come on, let's go have that talk." They walked out to the courtyard where the rest of the group, minus Merle, Daryl and Michonne.

Carol held Judith while the twins played on a blanket that had been placed on the ground. Rory sat at the end of the table, closet to them.

"When I met with the Governor, he offered me a deal. He said he would leave us alone, if I gave him Michonne. I was gonna do that, to keep us safe. To keep Judy and the twins safe. I changed my mind, but Merle took her to fulfill the deal. Daryl went to stop him and I don't know if it's to late or not. It was wrong, that I didn't tell you. I'm sorry. What I said last year, the first night after the farm it can't be like that, not anymore. What we do, what we're willing to do, who we are. It's not my call, it can't be. I couldn't sacrifice one of us for the greater good because we are the greater good. We're the reason we're still here, not me. This is life and death, how you live, how you die- it isn't up to me. I'm not your Governor. We choose to go, to stay, to fight. We stick together. We vote, we can stay and fight. Or we can go." They all watched as he ended his speech, walking away.

Rory was proud of her brother stepping down.

Standing, she wiped the dust off of her backside. She followed after him. He stood in the guard tower, taking watch.

"You did a good thing, stepping down." She wrapped her arms around him, having her head lay on his back. "I'm proud of you." He didn't say anything, she didn't want him to say anything.

Suddenly his body jerked, gun raised. She looked to see what he was looking at, in the distance a figure approached the prison. It was a person.

"It's Michonne. Just Michonne." Rory nodded, getting ready to go down and meet her.

She opened the gate, letting her in before closing it.

"You ok? Hurt?" Rory looked her over.

"I'm fine." She said before walking off. Rory sat down at a picnic table, waiting for the return of Daryl and Merle.

She waited for hours, checking on the twins so often. When he finally came back, her heart broke. She could tell he had been crying, and he was alone.

Merle was dead.

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"Daryl." She stood at the entrance of his cell. Hearing her voice, he looked up. She stood there nervously, playing with her fingers, eyes slightly pointed downward.

"Wha?"

"I just came to see how you were doing." He stopped what he was doing, which was cleaning his crossbow.

"Can I come in?" He nodded. Walking in she sat down right next to him on the bed. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I really am."

Daryl sniffed a little bit, "I just got him back, and then lost him." Rory frowned, standing up she stood between his legs and wrapped her arms around him. He hesitated for a second before doing the same, crying into her stomach.

She stood there, letting him cry. Letting him grieve the loss of his older brother. She noticed when the tones of his cried changed.

He was relieved.

Yes, he loved his brother. But he was relieved that he was finally free of him once more.

"Thank you for letting me... you know." He said after a while.

"Don't mention it." She had let go of him, not that she wanted to, and stared down at him. "It's getting late, we have a big day tomorrow. Try and get some sleep ok?" He nodded.

She turned around, getting ready to walk out when his hand grabbed at hers. She turned around, he gripped her face softly and placed his lips on hers.

It surprised her, so it took her a couple of seconds before she melted into the kiss. He walked backwards, knees folding upon hitting the bed. He made sure she followed his every move.

"We're gonna be ok. I'll make sure of it." He told her between the little kisses.

She knew he meant more then just the Governor in that situation, they would be fine against him and their relationship was going to be fine.

Ope-