For You // R.G.

Chapter 63

"You don't need to do this." Hershel tried to reason with the governor. We were sitting in an RV, sitting across from the governor who was loading his gun.

"I kind of do, Hershel. Things need to be settled, debts need to be repaid..." He says in a grim kind of way, he then looks over at me. I had a feeling he meant me repaying for what I did to his eye.

"What debt did Andrea repay?" I asked in a smart ass tone, he looked at me, he seemed a little amused at the question because the comers of his mouth rose in the slightest way. He paused, thinking of the 'perfect' response, or a response he knew would make me want to snap his neck.

"You're still hung up about her?" He asked almost in an exhausted tone, I cracked my neck, trying to release some of the anger I had.

"Yeah, I am. Unlike you, most human beings have feelings and when someone they love dies, they're pissed off about it." I snapped. Hershel was trying to get me to stop but I ignored him the whole time. The governor then got up, about to leave because I was making him angry. He was about to leave Hershel and I to our inevitable doom, but Hershel didn't give up.

"We can live together, Phillip." Hershel says, returning to the 'kiss ass routine'. I look at the governor then back at Hershel, his eyes never left Phillip, "that is what you want? The prison?"

The governor gave a sinister smile, he sat down, interested in what Hershel was saying. I nudged Hershel, he looked at me, I gave him a desperate look saying to stop this, but he returned to the governor,

"I'm not interested in sharing a home with Rick.... Nor her." He looks at me, I kept my eyes on him, giving him a nasty glare. He smirked and looked at Hershel, "I simply don't feel safe putting my people with your people... You all are savages-"

"What's your plan? You're going to kill us back at the prison and then take it for yourself?" I asked, I leaned back in the leather booth, I couldn't move my arms across my chest because they were tied with rope. He looked at me,

"I don't want any bloodshed, I've lost too many people-"

"You mean you shot too many people?" I retorted, bringing up the time when he went on a rampage and killed most of his people. Hershel kicked my leg, I looked at him,

"Shut up!" Hershel hissed, he wasn't scared of the governor but he was trying to make a deal with him, and I was screwing it up with my attitude. But I didn't care, I knew the governor wasn't someone to negotiate with. I looked up at Phillip who obviously was taken back from me knowing what he did after he attacked the prison,

"You know... Rick probably isn't prepared for the firepower we have with us today..." He then paused, keeping his eyes on the table before he glanced up at me, "you don't want to cross me because it will end badly for the both of you." He had a straight face the whole time until he got up to leave, I saw him smile a little when he walked down the steps of the RV.

"You cannot do that, max. He isn't a man that you can just say that stuff to!" Hershel hissed softly at me.

"Why are you even trying to negotiate with him? He breaks his promises all the time." I asked in a blank tone while staring at the table in front of us.

"I'm trying to make the situation better, max. And you aren't doing anything that's making it better either."

I sighed, I was done with all of this. I wanted to go back to the prison and tell the others, I tried to think of a plan to escape.

"Rick will figure out something's wrong when you aren't there." Hershel says while I was thinking. I sighed, I felt my throat become a little sore, I felt like crying. I didn't know how I would tell the group that the governor was coming, and I didn't know if I'd be able to see Rick again. It was all too uncertain for my taste.

...

Hours passed, it was dark out now. I spent the day looking out the window figuring out how many people he had. There's probably around 15, some men, women, and children. He seemed to be attached to a young girl who seemed to be around 8, she was blonde. He played with her the whole day, chasing her around with another woman that I assumed to be her mother. She had dark short hair, she resembled Maggie a bit.

The night had come, everyone pretty much returned to their campers. I didn't know which one we were in, who this one belonged to. Hershel and I stayed silent for most of the day so when he spoke, his voice was a little groggy.

"There's a pocket knife on the dashboard, you should get it-"

As Hershel was telling me this, someone opened the door. He stopped talking just in time as the tall brunette walked up the steps. He was attractive, around 25, he also had a muscular build. He saw us sitting down, I didn't change my expression at all when he looked at me, I kept a straight face. I didn't bother to smile or greet him-- I mean, why should I? He's practically Martinez 2.0.

"Uh... So you guys are apart of the prison group?" He asked. I took my eyes off of him, I leaned my head against the window and looked up at the stars in the sky, wanting the guy to leave us alone.

"We are." Hershel says. I then averted my eyes over to the man again to see if he was still standing there, and he was. He had his eyes on me, I rolled my eyes once he looked away quickly,

"If you're going to just stand there and pretend like you're important, the least you could do is untie us." I say in a sharp tone. He looked over at me then Hershel,

"I'm Pete-"

"And I don't care, there's a knife on the dash, if you could give it to me, that'd be great." I snapped, he raised his eyebrows, surprised with how rude I was to him but I honestly couldn't give a damn. I was pissed off that I had been tied up all day, I'm hot and uncomfortable, I was a hostage for God sake's, and I wanted to be with Rick right now.

"Man, I guess everyone loses their manners when the world goes to shit." He mutters while turning around to do something,

"Sorry that I'm here against my will and that your asshole leader is insane and is going to kill all of our people-"

"Settle down." Hershel tried to calm me down when I was raising my voice at Pete. I sighed and tried to simmer down a little bit.

"He isn't going to kill your people... You killed his before. We found him alone-"

"You really think that he'd tell you the truth about himself? He just told you that to make him seem like an innocent stray dog. He isn't what he says he is." I explained. Pete seemed a little lost but he managed to keep asking questions,

"How can I trust what you're saying? You might just be telling me some bullshit so I can turn you guys loose."

I took a moment to answer, trying to seem as sincere as possible, knowing this was probably the only chance we'd get to escape.

"Look, I'm a good person. I have a family back at the prison, I love those people. We have a great leader, Rick, who's an honest and caring man... The governor wants to kill us to take the prison for himself."

"He said he's using you two as hostages, he's letting your people leave, untouched with your safety in return for the prison."

I bit my lip, I didn't know whether to believe that was the plan or not. I stayed silent but Hershel spoke for me,

"Thank you, Pete." He says, clearly dismissing him from the RV. Pete seemed confused but left once he figured out that we didn't want him here anymore. I was looking forward, thinking about the millions of things that ran through my mind. I then started to cry,

"What- what if they do kill them all? What if they kill Rick and Sena- and- and Jamie-"

Hershel couldn't hold his hand out for me to take but he put his tied hands on my knee, I looked up at him, he gave a look telling me that it was okay. I leaned my head against his shoulder and cried.