S u r v i v o r s [ Daryl Dixon ]

Chapter 25

I was having a watch with Carl and Maggie when Carl, looking through the binoculars, winced slightly.

"Something weird out there" he said handing me the binoculars.

I started to watch the tree line when I spotted a familiar figure just behind Walker's body.

"Andrea" I said quietly and looked at Carl. "Get your dad and the others. Go."

Carl ran while I left the post and headed for the fence with my gun ready. Rick and Daryl joined me almost immediately. Merle and Michonne were a bit behind. We ran to the gate where Andrea stood with Walker, whom she kept on a leash.

"Are you alone?" Rick asked.

"Open the gate."

"Are you alone?!" then one of the Walkers started to approach Andrea.

"Rick!"

Rick relented and Carl opened the gate. Rick searched Andrea, we made sure she was alone to walk a little further, closer to the main entrance to the prison where the others had come out. Carol walked over to Andrea and hugged her tightly.

"We thought you were dead."

"Where's Shane? And Lori?" Andrea looked around for familiar faces. But then she looked directly at me.

"She had a girl. Lori didn't survive" I said quietly. "Neither T-Dog."

Andrea looked at Rick.

"I'm so sorry. You all live here?" she asked looking at the prison.

"Here and the cell block" Carol said.

"Well, can I go in?"

"I won't allow that" Rick said.

"I'm not an enemy, Rick."

"We had that field and courtyard until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up."

"He said you fired first."

I laughed quietly.

"Well, he's lying" I said slowly. "He killed an inmate who survived in here."

"We liked him. He was one of us" Daryl said.

"I didn't know anything about that" she seemed telling the truth. "As soon as I found out, I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shoot-out."

"That was days ago" Glenn said.

"I told you, I came as soon as I could."

"What have you told them?" Rick asked and Andrea winced.

"Nothing. I don't get it. I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?"

"He almost killed Michonne and he would have killed us" said Glenn firmly.

"With his finger on the trigger" she pointed out Merle. "Isn't he the one who kidnapped you? Who beat you?" she took a deep breath. "Look, I cannot excuse or explain what Philip has done. But I am here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."

"There's nothing to work out" I said calmly.

"We're gonna fuck him" Rick said. "I don't know how or when, but we will."

"There is room at Woodbury for all of you" she said softly.

"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate?" I finally asked. "Did he say that? He apologized for wanting to kill my brother? He explained why he put two brothers against each other?"